Scholarship Honors Man at Forefront of International Transactions: George Harper, J.D. '70

BY:

Michelle Valencia

CREATED:

Thursday, January 18, 2018

After attorney George “Rocky” Harper passed away in early 2017, members of his firm, friends, and family established an endowed scholarship at Miami Law as a tribute to Harper’s deep commitment to his alma mater.

Harper, who was a co-founder of the law firm Harper Meyer Perez Hagen O’Connor Albert & Dribin LLP, was a leading attorney in the areas of international business transactions, inbound and outbound foreign investments, aviation, and banking. He was born in Cuba to American parents and brought up on the island. He had a lasting affinity for Cuba and Latin America.

A 1970 graduate of Miami Law, Harper served as editor-in-chief of the University of Miami Law Review and was a member of several honor organizations, including Iron Arrow. He also served in numerous volunteer roles at the University of Miami, including as president of the Law Alumni Association and of the University of Miami Alumni Association.

“My family and I are hoping this scholarship will allow my father to continue helping the students of Miami Law after his death, just as he did during his life,” said Steven Harper, an attorney at Harper Meyer. “Miami Law always held a special place in his heart. While he can no longer serve as an adjunct professor, board member, alumni president, or in any of those other capacities in which he served throughout his lifetime for the University of Miami, and Miami Law in particular, this scholarship is a way for my mother, my brother, and me, all of whom have ties to the University as well, to continue his good works well into the future.”

The George R. Harper Endowed Scholarship will provide financial assistance to a qualified law student who plans to focus on a Latin American-based international transactional practice after graduation.

“Our ultimate goal for this scholarship is simply to be able to assist as many qualified law students as possible,” said Harper. “We would like to raise $100,000, which would allow us to grant an annual partial scholarship to a qualified law student each year to help them defray some of the costs.”